We have lift off! As part of the BFI’s blockbuster season Sci-Fi: Days of Fear and Wonder we present Sci-Fi in the Classroom – a top 10 countdown of fantastic films which will take younger audiences on a trip to infinity and beyond!
Download the PDFs on each page to see how you can start using the films in the classroom. And why not kick-off with our Sci-fi Bingo game below?
These lesson ideas are also available on our BFI Education profile page on TES Connect.
Lessons
Film 1: Sci-fi silents (1901-1906)
Take a magical trip to the moon and back with three early silent sci-fi treats.
Find out moreFilm 2: Village of the Damned (1960)
A quiet English village is terrorised by a group of blonde-haired children with superhuman powers.
Find out moreFilm 3: The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961)
An all-time great London film which sets the stage for the end of the world in real-life locations around the capital.
Find out moreFilm 4: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Mankind ventures beyond the final frontier in Kubrick’s masterful and enigmatic film.
Find out moreFilm 5: Silent Running (1972)
A lonely astro-botanist attempts to save the Earth’s forests from extinction in this extraordinary eco sci-fi classic.
Find out moreFilm 6: The Glitterball (1977)
A young boy and his friend have a close encounter with an unusual extra-terrestrial in this film produced by the Children’s Film Foundation.
Find out moreFilm 7: Flash Gordon (1980)
The evil emperor of the planet Mungo, Ming the Merciless, threatens to destroy the Earth just for fun. Time is running out and it’s left up to Flash Gordon to try and stop him!
Find out moreFilm 8: A Grand Day Out (1989)
When Wallace discovers there’s no more cheese in the fridge, and the shop is closed for the bank holiday, the only option is to build a rocket and fly to the moon for a picnic!
Find out moreFilm 9: Pumzi (2009)
The award-winning Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu directs Kenya’s first sci-fi film.
Find out moreFilm 10: Attack the Block (2011)
The inhabitants of a south London estate are forced to defend their home when it’s invaded by some less-than-friendly visitors from outer space.
Find out more